The Blue House (Korean: 청와대 Cheong Wa Dae) is the executive office and official residence of the South Korean head of state, the President of the Republic of Korea and located in the capital city of Seoul. The Korean name literally translates to "pavilion of blue tiles." The Blue House is in fact a complex of buildings, built largely in the traditional Korean architectural style with some modern elements.
Built upon the site of the royal garden of Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897), the Blue House now consists of the Main Office Hall (본관; 本館), the Presidential Residence, the State Reception House (영빈관; 迎賓館), the Chunchugwan (춘추관; 春秋館) Press Hall, and the Secretariat Buildings. The entire complex covers approximately 250,000 square metres or 62 acres.
The President of the Republic of Korea (대한민국의 대통령; 大韓民國大統領) is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, the chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea (South Korea).
The Constitution and the amended Presidential Election Act of 1987 provide for election of the president by direct, secret ballot, ending sixteen years of indirect presidential elections under the preceding two governments. The President is directly elected to a five-year term with no possibility of re-election. If a presidential vacancy should occur, a successor must be elected within sixty days, during which time presidential duties are to be performed by the prime minister or other senior cabinet members in the order of priority as determined by law. While in office, the chief executive lives in Cheong Wa Dae (the "Blue House"), and is exempt from criminal liability (except for insurrection or treason).
On February 25, 2013, Park Geun-hye became the eleventh and current president. She is also the country's first woman to assume this post.
